Intermittent-vacuum massage-machine



G. A. WARD. INTERMITTENT VACUUM MASSAGE MACHINE.

,192-1, 3 SHEETS-SHEET I. A

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3|, 1919 r 1,378,922. Pat nted May 24 e. A. WARD.

INTERMITTENT VACUUM MASSAGE MACHINE.

. A-PPLICATION FILED MAY 31. 1919 v Patented May 24, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 G. A. WARD.

INTERMITTENT VACUUM- MASSAGE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY'I'H, 1919;

1,878,922. Patented May 24,1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3. I l 5/ 3 -r/fl I 0*:(0 o o E %6- I E Q/. o

PATENT OFFICE.

GEO RGE A. WARD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

INTERMITTENT-VACUUM MASSAGE-MACHINE.

V Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 24, 1921.

Application filed May 31, 1919. Serial No. 300,827.

T 0 all whom it may canoe 1%.

.Be it known that I, GEORGE A. lVAno, a citizen of the UnitedStates, anda resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Intermittent-Vacuum Massage-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear and exact description of the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and. to the numerals of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates more particularly to an improved type of amassaging machine wherein a vacuum is intermittently applied by themachine to parts requirlng massaging. g

It is an object of this invention to provide a massaging machine adaptedto produce an intermittent vacuum when operated.

It is also an object of the invention to construct a massaging deviceadapted to be manually or electrically operated to intermittentlyproduce vacuums in the applicator for massaging purposes.

'A further object of the invention is the construction of a massagingmachine wherein a gear operated pump is adapted to be actuated toproduce intermittent vacuums in the applicator of the machine.

It is furthermor an object of this invention to provide a massagingmachine having a pump mechanism adapted to be operated to alternatelycreate and release in the applicator of the machine.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a-massagingmachine of simple and effective; construction adapted to permitmassaging to be done byintermittently applying and releasinga vacuum atthe applicator of the machine.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparentfrom the disclosures in thespecification and the accompanying drawings.V

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings andhereinafter a vacuum more fuly described.

.On the drawings: A 7 F gure 1 is a side elevation of amassaging machineembodying the principles of this invention.

Fig.' 2" is a rear view thereof. 7 V ..Fig.'3is an enlarged longitudinalsection of the machinesliowing' parts inelevation'.

modified form of the devlce.

Fig. 4 is a sectional viewtaken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

of another Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail section taken on line 10-10 ofFig. 9.

Fig. 11is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view of the honey-combedpad'applicatorshown in Fig. 10.

As shown on the drawings: 4 The reference numeral 1, indicates a casetapered toward its outer endand having a handle2, rigidly attachedaxially on the opposite rounded end thereof. Journaled in one of thesidewalls of the casing 1, isa

stub shaft or pin 3, having a large gear wheel 4, keyed on the inner.end thereof within the casing. A crank 5, issecured to the outer end ofthe shaft 3, to permit rotation of the driving gear 4. Rotatably mountedon a stud or pin 6, is a small gear 7, which is in mesh with the largegear 4. Secured eccentrically in oneside of the upper gear 7 is aneccentric pin or screw 8, which projects through a slot 9, formed in ahead 10. The head 10, is rigidly secured to the lower end of a plungerrod orstem 11, which projects through the upper end of the casing '1,and projects into a pump cylinder or housing .12, mounted rigidly uponthe upper end ofthe casing. Secured on the upper end of the rod 11,within thecylinder '12, r

is a piston or plunger 13, suitably packed. The outerend of the pumpcylinder 12, is closed bymeans of a head 14, to which one end of acurvedpipe or elbow tube 15,-is secured. The outer end of the tube 15,has a rubber cap applicator 16, attached thereto.

As clearly shown in Fig. .6, a valve cup 17 is secured. upon thecylinder head 14, and communicates with the interior of thecylin- 'der12, through a tapered passage; Adjustably threaded into the upper end ofthe valve cup. 17, is a screw 18, the lower end of which is tapered tovform'a needle valve 19, adapted to fit into the tapered passage tocontrol theentrance or escape of air from the interior of th pumpcylinder 12, through an inlet opening or passage 20, provided in oneside of the valve cup 17 In the modified form of the device shown inFigs. 7 and 8, the machine comprises a longitudinally passaged casing orhandle 21, through which a rotatable driving rod or shaft 22, axiallyprojects. The outer end of the shaft 22, is threaded and has a nut 23,engaged thereon for holding the shaft in posltion. A dish or plate 24 issecured or integrally formed on the inner end of the shaft 22. Securedon the end of the handle 21, is a casing or housing 25, on one end ofwhich a passaged guide sleeve 26, is secured. Attached to the oppositeend of the casing 25, is a pump cylinder 27, within which a piston orplunger 28, is disposed. Connected to the plunger 28, is one end of arod or stem 29, the other end of which is positioned to slide in theguide sleeve 26. Integrally formed on the stem 29, intermediate the endsthereof, is a head 30, provided with a slot 31. Projecting through theslot 31, and rigidly secured eccentrically to the disk 24, is aneccentric pin or screw 32. The outer open end of the pump cylinder 27,is closed by means of a head 33, to which one end of a pipe or tube 34is secured. Removably attached to the other end of the tube 34 is arubber cup applicator 35. This form of massaging machine is adapted tobe electrically driven by connecting the threaded end of the shaft 22with a flexible motor driven shaft.

Figs. 9 to 11, inclusive disclose another modified form of intermittentvacuum massaging machine embracing a pump '36, having one end of aneccentric rod or shaft 37 connected to the outer end of the plunger rodor stem 38, of the pump. The other end of the eccentric rod 37, iseccentrically attached to a disk or plate 39, adapted to be rotated by aworm wheel 40, which isdriien by a worm 41, mounted on the shaft 42, ofan electric motor 43. Attached to the pump cylinder 36, is one end of apipe or tube 44, the other end of which is removably attached to amultiple cup or honey-combed paid applicator provided with attachingstraps 45.

The multiple cup pad applicator oomprises a back 46, made of a flexibleor semiflexible material and having the attaching straps 45, secured tothe outer surface thereof, to permit the pad applicator to beconveniently applied and secured in position upon the body of a personto be massaged. Integrally formed on one margin of the applicator back46, is a sleeve or elbow 47 into which one end of the tube 44, issecured.

The back 46, is provided with a marginal groove on the inner surfacethereof. Seated in the groove of the back 46, is the peripheral flange48, of a pad 49, which is made of rubber or any other flexible material.

The flange 48, is secured to the margin of the back 46, by washers 50and retaining members 51. The pad is shaped to afford a chamber 52,between the back and said pad. Integrally formed on the outer surface ofthe pad 49, are a plurality of hexagonally shaped walls or webs 53,forming a plurality of cells or small applicator cups, the walls ofwhich are common. Each cell is provided with an aperture or opening 54,communicating with the chamber 52. The cup walls or webs 53, are all ofthe same height, and as shown taper outwardly.

The operation is as follows:

In the form of intermittent vacuum massaging machine shown in Figs. 1 to6, inelusive, the machine is operated manually by turning the crank 5.The rubber cup shaped applicator 16, is applied to the portion of theskin of a person to be massaged, and by rotating the crank5, the gears 4and 7, are rotated. Rotationof the gear 7, serves to operate theeccentric mechanism 8-10, whereby the pump plunger 13, is reciprocatedin the cylinder12. On the up stroke of the plunger the air in thecylinder 12, above the plunger 13, is forced outwardly through the tube15, and out between the applicator 16, and the portion of the skin towhich the applicator has been applied. Upon the down stroke of the pumpplunger 13, the suction at the mouth of the applicator causes the skinto be drawn into the applicator thereby causing a partial vacuum to beformed in the tube 15 and in the chamber above the plunger 13. Duringthe down stroke of the plunger the air below the plunger is permitted toescape through the opening 47, provided for the purpose. It will thus beseen that a partial vacuum is created and then released or broken witheach rotation of the gear7. The intermittent vacuum produced at themouth of the applicator 16, arts to massage the skin by alternatelysucking and then releasing the skin as the machine is operated. Shouldthe suction created by the vacuum be too strong the needle valve 19, isadjusted by turning the screw 18, thereby permitting a small quantity ofair to enter the vacuum chamber during the driving stroke of the pumpplunger 13. The degree of pressure reduction maythus be varied by themachine, depending upon the adjustment of the valve mechanism. Ifpreferred the machine may be easily arranged to be power driven.

The modified form of massaging machine disclosed in Figs. 7 and ,8, isoperated in a manner similar to that already described. In this case theeccentric mechanism is operated by the shaft 22, which is adaptedto berotated by means of a motor or by any other suitable means connected tothe thread ed outer'end of said shaft. The intermittent vacuumeflect isproduced at the applic'ator 35, as the plunger 28,. is reciprocated. Themachine is adapted to be conveniently held by the handle 21, during amassaging operation. In the modified form of the alternate vacuummassaging machine shown in Figs. 9, l0 and 11, the pad applicator issecured in place by means of the straps 45. Bystarting the motor 43, thepump 36, is operated to alternately vary the pressure at the place wherethe massaging face of the pad is applied to a person being massaged.

The variations in pressure at the cup applicators caused by the actionof the pump, serve to thoroughly massage the skin by alternately drawingblood to the parts being massaged and then releasing the pressure. Theskin tissues are thus enlivened. The

pad applicator is flexible to permit the same to conform to theportionof a body to which it is applied, and the rubber walls forming vthe plurality ofcells or cups, are also adapted to so grip the skin sothat communication between the various cells is obviated, therebypermitting a pluralityof small skin areas to be massaged simultaneously.

It will of course, be understood that any desired form of applicatorsmay be used other than thoseshown, and that the intermittent vacuumeffect may be produced by operating mechanisms difi'erent from. themechanisms described.

I am aware that numerous details of construction may be varied through awide range without departing from the principles of this invention and Itherefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise thannecessitated by the prior art.

- I claim as my invention: 1. An intermittent vacuum massaging machinecomprising a cylinder, an imperforate piston adapted to reciprocate insaid cylinder, a piston rod connected to the piston, a head integralwith the piston rod having a longitudinal slot substantially pergpendicular to the axis thereof, a. circular driving plate, a studeccentrically mounted on the driving plate and adapted to engage theslot in the head, means for'rotating the driving plate thereby actuatingthe piston rod and piston, a massaging applicator and a tube connectingthe interior of said applicator with the cylinder whereby saidapplicator is directly operated by the variations of pressure producedby the reciprocation of the piston.

2. The combination with a device adapted to rapidly produce and releasea pressure, of a pad applicator connected therewith and having a chambertherein, and a plurality means for securing the applicator in position,a flexible pad secured to said back and separated therefrom to afford achamber between said back and pad, and walls integrally formed on thepad forming a plurality of hexagonal cells, each provided with anopening communicating with said chamber.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses: V

. GEORGE A. WARD.

Witnesses:

EARL M. HARDINE, CHARLns W. HILLS, Jr.

